Starlight
by The Reader is Now Blind
Summary: "Starlight, star bright, first star I see tonight..."


I don't own Trigun, even though I wished I owned Vash, and Wolfwood, and Legato, and...  
  


**Starlight**

  
  
Glancing up at the stars, Meryl Stryfe wondered if she could reach far enough to touch one, to hold the illuminating orb in her hand for a fleeting moment. She had been trying catch them ever since she was a little girl, and even though she was fully aware now that it would be impossible, that didn't stop her from stretching her arm upright, allowing a smile to form on her face.  
  
The first raindrop hit her square in the eye, causing her to blink in confusion. There was no reason to continue to stay there, however, for the sudden storm was going to get her drenched if she didn't find some sort of shelter.  
  
A soft glow of light and low sounds of piano music and laughing caught her attention to a building close by. As she hurried near it, Meryl discovered it was a pub, most likely filled with unfavorable characters. Contemplating whether or not to go inside and risk being suggestively leered at by disgusting men, the choice was made for her when the doors swung open at the force at somebody being kicked out.  
  
"Damn drunk! Next time, make sure you enough money before you order a drink!" the bartender shouted at the person in the street, then returned his job. Meryl's heart skipped a beat as the mass began to move and moan; the red trenchcoat, the brown leather gloves, the golden hair. The man Meryl would never forget in a million years: Vash the Stampede.  
  
He looked sort of pathetic, lying there in a huddle mass, unable to walk, let alone stand. Meryl actually felt sorry for him, but then she berated him usual, "Well, Mr. Humanoid Typhoon, still wallowing in your miseries with alcohol like always. You know, it's your own fault for being thrown out here, and I offer no sympathy towards you."  
  
"You don't know mee..," Vash slurred, hiccuping in the dirt. Meryl sighed and bent to help him get on his feet. "Yes I do, unfortunately, and if you were sober, you would must likely point out that I almost never keep my threats about you."  
  
Vash leaned on her like a crutch, belching in her ear. "You ser are a nice lady...*hic*"  
  
Meryl grimaced at the stench of liquor on his breath, and turned her face towards the sky. Dark clouds rumbled overhead, the twinkling of the stars blocked out. Oh well, she figured with the slumping of her shoulders, no more childhood fantasies for her. At least not tonight.  
  


*****

  
  
Despite Meryl's best efforts in ducking under an overhang whenever she got the chance, they were both thoroughly soaked by the time they reached her hotel. She was thankful it was so late that no one else was still awake, for Meryl could imagine what kind of heckling she would face for what she was doing. Millie had been called away a few days ago in order to attend of one older sibling's weddings, so Meryl for once had a room to herself. Last thing she needed was Millie to get the wrong idea with appearance of Vash.  
  
Only after almost slipping in one of the puddles they were creating did Meryl admit that they had to change out of their wet clothes. Gulping at her resolution, Meryl peeled back Vash's water logged coat, dropping it to the floor because of it's weight. His white shirt clung to him tight, acting like a second skin, but soon that was tugged off as well. She traced the scars covering his back, drawn by the macabre wounds. She shivered at the icy clammy feeling she caught when she touched him, but was worried but the flushed look of his face. Searching her mind, Meryl suddenly remembered the first aid class she had been required to take in order to travel in the name of the Berendelli Insurance Company. The instructor had once conducted a class on surviving in severe weather conditions, mainly when it cooled enough at night to sometimes drop below the usual warm temperature of the planet Gunsmoke. Telling them to bundle up at cases like those was an obvious idea, but he also mentioned not to drink alcohol, which causes heat to leave the body.  
  
Merle fretted about this prospect, for although she was only slightly chilled, Vash was in danger of catching a bad cold or worse. The best way for to prevent any serious complications was to warm the semi-unconscious gunman up fast. And the only thing Meryl knew would do that would be the showers across the hall.  
  
Exasperated, Meryl dragged Vash into the shared bathrooms, cursing the hotel for not having bathtubs that she could just settle Vash in. But no, Vash had to be propped up to receive the hot and life restoring water, and she had to be his support.  
  
Stripping the last of the clothes from both of their already wet bodies, Meryl turned on the faucets until steam begin to rise in the room. Averting her eyes, she stood under shower head, hoping all this torture would end quickly. Soon the color of Vash's skin returned to normal, and his lips were no longer blue. Wrapping themselves up in the towels she had brought, they drudged back to her room.  
  
Vash hadn't said anything during the whole time, though he seemed to respond better physically after being warmed up. Meryl lay him down on the bed, then stood back up to get dressed and try to wring out Vash's outfit.  
  
A hand shot out from beneath the covers, bringing Meryl down to the bed. Before she could say anything, Vash's arms hugged her tight, tears falling from his squinted eyes, his haggard voice whispering, "Re...Re...please don't leave me....not now...Re..."  
  
Realizing he must have mistaken her for somebody else, Meryl gently struggled against his grip. Giving up after a few minutes, and no relenting on Vash's part, Meryl sighed, leaning into the nape of his neck. It felt right, she admitted quietly with a blush, it felt right to be naked in bed with Vash. Glancing out the window, she saw the clouds dissipating and the stars shining once more. Meryl smiled in relief, reciting an old rhyme in her head.  
  
_Starlight, star bright,  
First star I see tonight.  
I wish I may,  
I wish I might,  
Have this wish I wish tonight..._  
  


*****

  
  
It seemed that Meryl had only blinked for a long time before it was morning. She awoke with the sun's rays and her face and birds singing outside. She rolled over to face Vash, who had been watching her curiously. "Oh, Vash! What time did you wake up?"  
  
Ignoring her question, Vash furrowed his eyebrows in puzzlement. "Meryl, what happened last night? Last thing I can recall is being in the bar, and then...Oh my God! I never thought you to be one of those women who seduce men while they're drunk, but actually I can sort of see you like that..."  
  
Clenching her fists in anger, Meryl shouted in anger, "You idiot! You were kicked out of the tavern because you didn't have enough money you cheapskate! Then I found you and carried you to the hotel, and because we soaked from the rain, I had undress you..."  
  
Vash almost fell of the bed in laughter. "That's the worst excuse I ever heard! Your reason for stripping me is so fake, considering that it never rains here. I bet you were just so overcome with lust that mind stopped functioning. I don't blame you, I'm a very tempting subject..."  
  
A shudder ran up Meryl's back as she sat up away from him. She had just realized he had been right about the rain, but she didn't want him to know she didn't think much about the strange weather phenomenon until now. Instead she tried to squelch the bile from rising in her throat as she sobbed, "Damn you! I don't care if you don't believe me, because I know what really happened last night. I'm such an idiot! I would've left you on the ground if I knew I was going to be treated like this! But I didn't want newspaper headlines to read, 'Vash the Stampede, the Humanoid Typhoon with the sixty billion double dollars bounty on his head, killed by pneumonia!'....and I didn't want...to lose you again."   
  
All of a sudden, Vash grabbed her from behind, clasping her closely. Meryl looked up in surprise, tears shimmering in her eyes. "Vash?"  
  
"I'm sorry," he mumbled in her ear, rocking back and forth with her, "I'm sorry I didn't trust you. Thank you Meryl. Thank you so much for being in my life."  
  
Leaning into his chest, Meryl's lips joined his, the heartbeats quickening with every second.  
  
_...Have this wish I wish tonight...that I stay with the person I love all of my life..._  
  
After a few seconds, they finally pulled apart, slightly breathless. Vash genuinely smiled, and placed his chin on Meryl's head. "Did it really rain last night?"  
  
The pillow thrown at him caused him to topple over from the sheets, dragging Meryl to the floor on top of him, where they kissed once more.  
  



End file.
